Judge blocks Trump’s arch construction after federal panel approves it

A federal judge barred construction of President Donald Trump’s proposed 250-foot arch near Arlington National Cemetery early Friday, less than two hours after a federal planning commission approved the project. The order stops work for 14 days, halting plans the administration had said could move forward immediately.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan granted a request from the governments of Washington, D.C., and Virginia. In a 33-page opinion, she questioned the administration’s changing explanations for the arch, including its recent emphasis on national security, and found that the local governments were likely to be harmed by construction.

“The threatened harms will materialize as soon as construction begins, in part because the traffic disruptions will occur immediately,” Chutkan wrote.

The arch would rise in Memorial Circle, a traffic island on the bridge linking the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington National Cemetery. Administration officials have said construction would run 20 hours a day, year-round, for two to three years, according to NPR. D.C. and Virginia say the work would cause financial and logistical disruptions.

The National Capital Planning Commission approved the project 8-4 on Thursday after a lengthy virtual hearing dominated by opposition. Veterans, relatives of people buried at Arlington, lawmakers, preservation specialists and area residents raised concerns about the cemetery’s setting, the view from nearby landmarks, traffic and the project’s legality. The administration has not confirmed its cost; The Guardian reported that some estimates have reached $100 million.

Commission chair Mark Paoletta, a Trump appointee, praised the proposal at the hearing. “President Trump understands as president and a superb builder that it’s important to our national identity to display who we are through grand monuments,” he said. Commissioner Paul Ingrassia called the arch a tribute to veterans and the nation, saying, “It’s not about politics. It’s about remembrance.”

Critics disputed that purpose. D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, who sits on the commission, said the submitted plans did not contain the military use cited by administration officials and argued that the panel lacked final plans needed for approval. “We cannot approve final site and building plans until we have the final site and building plans,” he said. His motion to postpone the vote failed 8-4.

The administration has not sought congressional approval for the arch. A group of Vietnam War veterans and an architectural historian sued earlier this year, arguing that approval is required. D.C. and Virginia filed a similar lawsuit, and Chutkan consolidated the cases. Supporters on the commission argued that Congress had authorized the project when it approved two columns for Memorial Circle in 1925; those columns were never built, according to NPR.

Commission supporters also cited national security claims made by Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Officials at the meeting confirmed that no security analysis or details appeared in the final submission, NPR reported. An Interior Department official said specific security functions had been filed under seal in court, but that the National Park Service had not been told of any national defense preparations.

The administration notified the court shortly after the commission voted. Chutkan’s order followed before construction began.